On the record ... with Rod Carey

Published: Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2012 11:33 a.m. CST

DeKALB – It may have been the most hectic weekend in the history of the Northern Illinois University sports program. On Friday, Nov. 21, the Huskies defeated Kent State, 44-37, in double overtime to win their second straight Mid-American Conference championship. The next day, head coach Dave Doeren announced he was leaving to take a position with North Carolina State University. On Sunday, Nov. 23, the Huskies introduced his replacement just 15 minutes before learning they had won the right to play in the Discover Orange Bowl, the first time a MAC team had ever earned that honor.

The Huskies’ new head coach is Rod Carey, 42, who has spent the past two seasons on the Huskies’ coaching staff.

“When you have a program like this, it’s not about what you can change; it’s about what you can keep,” NIU’s 22nd head coach said. “We’ve got great players and we want to keep this ball rolling.”

Carey and his wife Tonya have two children, daughter Kennedi, 8, and son Charlie, 5.

During an informal press conference last week, Carey spent a few minutes with Midweek reporter Doug Oleson talking about the Huskies and the upcoming bowl game.

MidWeek: How did you find out Coach Doeren was leaving?

Rod Carey: He called me after the game. He called all the coaches, then we held a team meeting to tell the team.

MW: So how did you become head coach? Did you have to apply for it?

RC: Right after (Doeren) called, I got a call from Jeff Compher asking if I was interested in the job, and I said I was. ...That night we met with him and President John Peters and got to know each other.

We met again the next day. We didn’t finalize the deal until 15 minutes before the Orange Bowl announcement.